5:4a

My beloved put his hand to the latch: In this clause the woman implied that she could hear the man put his hand into the latch to try to open the door. The Hebrew phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as put his hand to means “to stretch out his hand.” But here in 5:4 it is used with a Hebrew word which probably indicates that he put his hand through (something). (For more details, see the next note on the word latch.)

Some ways to translate the clause are:

• Imply that the man put his hand through an opening. For example:

My love thrust his hand through the hole in the door… (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Then my darling’s hand reached to open the latch… (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a phrase with a more general meaning. For example:

My lover tried to unlatch the door (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The one I love tried to use his hand to open the door.

latch: The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as latch is literally “hole.” It implies that there was an opening in the door. A person could reach through it to open the door. The God’s Word calls this opening a “keyhole.” However, it was larger than many modern keyholes, since a person could put his hand through it.

5:4b

my heart pounded for him: This phrase is a figure of speech. It tells the woman’s response when she heard the man trying to open the door (5:4a). She longed for his love, and she urgently wanted to be with him. The phrase may also imply that her sexual desires were aroused.

In some languages people do not talk about the heart when they refer to romantic feelings. Languages have different ways to refer to such feelings, and some languages use a figure of speech. It is important to use a natural way in your language. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

I longed for him.
-or-
I was filled with desire for him.
-or-
my inmost being yearned for him (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I was thrilled that he was near (Good News Translation)

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